My Maule came to me with a set of Fiber Floats.

I hear that you can change the hydraulic ends of the struts for fixed ends to help control the wandering action of the floats.

any one have ay idea where I could find any parts for these floats?

Most of the Fiber floats I've flown have had that mod done. I'm not sure if there's an STC or if the manufacturer did the deed, but it is a MUST DO on these floats.

Find another set that have been converted (there's at least two sets around Fairbanks) and carefully (as in precisely) measure the vertical struts on that set. Go find a good mechanic and see if they can propose a field approval to do this to FAA. The strut material is readily available from Aerocet, and probably others as well.

The problem with the shock absorber struts is that they can get into an ocillatory mode in rough water, and punch right up through the lower longerons. That will ruin your day.

The floats are a little "different" to operate, but they perform well, and for the money, are hard to beat. Just learn to fly them.

Oh, yeah--install a set of conventional water rudders while you're modifying. Those goofy "spoilers" work okay, but they are a mess waiting to happen as well, and as long as you're changing things, you might as well do it right.

Both these mods have been done to many sets of these floats, so hopefully, the FAA will look kindly on them. A good mechanic will know who to talk to at the FSDO.

Is the guy you bought the airplane from in the Guard? If so, I've flown in that plane.

MTV

I know the guy in the Air Guard that had the Maule . He wrecked it out at Gold King about two years ago and now has a C 180 or 185.

I was in the guard until I retired two years ago.

This Maule I bought locally last summer and it is sitting out at float pond.

i would like to put it on floats this summer.

The floats work fine, though if you hold full nose up elevator at the beginning of the takeoff run, the plane will nose up significantly, and rest on the heels of the floats, which are really high compared to the steps. Even that's no big deal, just push the nose over a bit, and they'll get going.

The spoilers which were used as water rudders run on a hydraulic system. That system has a bypass, to prevent damage to the spoilers if you hit anything (like the bottom, a log, etc) with one of them. That will collapse that spoiler against the float bottom, and now you will only be able to turn one direction until you get ashore and rummage around inside the offending float, to reset the hydraulics.

It's easier to bump one of those spoilers than you might think, which is why I strongly recommend changing to standard type water rudders. Again, that should be easy enough to field approve, but you'll need to gather up some parts.

MTV

Call Jeremy Aimsworth http://www.mauleak.com/ He's real knowledgeable about Maules and those floats.

It's Ainsworth, actually.

MTV

Never said I could type, I hit the M by mistake, sorry Jeremy

Time to pull them out.......

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